Raincharm’s Weblog

Let’s start out with a picture of the flower, taken at the end of quite a day.

May 30th version

When you look at our individual days, we did not do anything extraordinary.
But there were extraordinary, awful events occurring around us, or more specifically around our house.

A man walked into a cafe, Cafe Racer, a short distance from our house.
He shot 5 people in the cafe. 2 died there, and a third at the hospital. (The other 2 are in critical condition.)

Carl was at home, and called me when he heard the helicopter overhead. And police cars swarming the area.
He turned on the TV and saw the breaking news. (Except when the helicopter disrupted our over-the-air reception)
They told everyone that was in the vicinity to lock their doors and stay inside.

And that is what he did.

They were conducting a door-to-door, street-to-street search for the gunman.
Carl described 4-5 policemen walking down the street with their guns drawn, pointing into the bushes, etc.
Then 2 more running up from behind, and charging down the street.
Then 2 police cars tearing down the street, with one more following slowly.

Rather un-nerving, to say the least.

Then the news broke of a second shooting downtown, an apparent car-jacking.
A woman shot (and killed), her car gone.

The car was found in West Seattle about an hour later (maybe), with a gun on the seat.

And a few hours later police spotted the man from the Cafe Racer shootings, in West Seattle.
Cafe Racer had a really good video camera system, so police had pictures to go from.
When they approached him, he shot himself in the head. (First reported to have died, he apparently is still alive, but maybe not.)

The CNN Version. The KIRO Version.

By the time I left work, the police had tied all of the incidents together. The street around the Cafe Racer sight were still blocked, but with the killer in the hospital/custody, things were starting to return to normal.

This is a horrible story, and really impacted the entire city. Three widely spaced crime scenes. Neighborhoods essentially held hostage. Schools in lockdown.

At least a few of those lost at Cafe Racer were musicians that performed in that venue, and elsewhere around the city.

What a waste.

My day off was to sleep in, a bit.
This was necessary because I stayed up way to late watching shows about folks in the service.
Some very different shows (from each other). Personal history, Bataan, aircraft carrier deployment and the environmental consequences of war.
Each interesting in their own way, and I was just awake last night.

When I did get up work was beckoning.
I have a deadline that trumps spending another day at home.
So off I went. Made some progress as well, so I think it was a good decision for me.

The rhododendron continued on its blooming way as well.

Monday’s bloom

And a bee was flitting around the blooms, spending time diligently doing its cleaning.

Blurry Bumbly Bee

First bit of business. The rhododendron files.

Saturday

Sunday

Saturday and Sunday have just about flown by.
It has been weird timing for me. We had two Mariner games – and I am not sure what else.
The Saturday game was at 4:10, but it was sunny and felt like a day game.
That is until I thought it was time for dinner and it was already 8:30.

Carl is back in the boot (the plastic variety – not leather), and so our long walks have been cut short.
We did decide we could just walk around the stadium, flat surface, and limited time.

We showed up early. Saturday we watched batting practice before setting out.
Sunday was little league day, so we hung out by the bull pen waiting for the rest of the stadium to open.

I noticed a few coffee thermos’ on top of the water cooler in the bull pen. It was still before noon, and I mentioned that it would be nice to have a cup. So Carl, shy retiring type that he is, yelled out the bullpen catcher to bring him a cup. The catcher laughed and headed out to the field to work with some of the pitchers. When he came back to the bullpen, with the pitchers, he went to the coffee and brought over a cup. (We had not asked again – so it was pretty special.) A few of the pitchers were giving him a bad time.

After finishing the coffee we set out on our walk.

Saturday we did about 1.3 miles around the stadium.
Sunday we did about 2.5 miles.

Here are the sights of

Signs from near the Right Field Entrance

The Seattle waterfront. This is our “Where’s Waldo” shot.
Can you find a Cruise Ship, Landstriders, Space Needle, Ferry, Sea Gull, Cargo (ready for loading), and a Ferris Wheel under construction.

Cargo Ship underway (in reverse actually)

Dave Niehaus from above.

Starbucks Headquarters

Carl working a camera. (Never leave these toys unattended.) [Century Link Field in the background.]

It was turn back the clock night, so we found a pay phone.

When Felix Hernandez pitches, there is a “King’s Court” area of the stadium.
Since the team was in Seattle Rainiers uniforms, the King’s Court was in red, about 1,700 strong.
They are waving “K” signs, as Felix is about to strike out another Angel.

Here is a Felix likeness from our walks.

Unfortunately, Pujols has joined the Angels.

So, we now have a glum Carl discussing the situation with Dave Niehaus.
Yes, they swept us right out of town.

Enjoy your Memorial Day

And once again I have missed a few days.
I have no excuse for last night, except that I was late getting home. But I was not at the ball game.

Here is the Thursday Rhody picture. (Taken in the evening, which seems to show a lot more of the dirt on the window.)

Thursday Evening Rhody

And a Friday morning picture

Friday morning – with sun

So – I was late getting home from work, but I was also late getting to work in the morning.
Started the day with a dentist appointment. Nothing big, and my teeth feel cleaner.

It was only 7:30 when I left the dentist so I called my carpooler to see where he was.
He had been considering 1) waiting for me to get through my appointment, 2) calling another potential ride, 3) taking the bus. [He had tickets to the M’s game in the evening, and did not want to drive/park in the evening. I was scheduled to drive him to the game (as he has done for me many times), but he ended up getting a ride from a different co-worker.]

When I called he was on a bus. But the bus had been delayed by an accident which close the 520 freeway for a while.
I checked the traffic app, and it looked like the freeway entrance to 520 was blocked, but 520 was fine. The alternate freeway, I-90, was difficult to reach since I-5 was full of traffic. So I decided to go 520, tolls be damned. But since the entrance had appeared to be in trouble I would cut through the University District.

First bad calculation of the day. Slow, lots of traffic and students.

Finally reached the entrance ramp to 520. As I was winding my way down to the freeway (tollway), at <5 mph, I noted a sign saying the bridge would open/close (depending on your perspective) at 9 AM. [The 520 bridge is tolled to help pay for its replacement. The construction work at one end has blocked the area where taller boats could get under the bridge. So in addition for paying to cross, you run the risk of having the drawspan open for a sailboat.] I checked the clock, and realized there was only a very small chance that I would be caught by the bridge opening. Then decided that it would probably be interesting enough to be worth the delay.

Finally on the bridge, but continuing to poke along, it was time for bird watching, 520 style.
First up was a bald eagle.
Then a hawk, but what would a hawk be doing at mid-span. I don’t think they pluck fish from the lake.
Then an osprey. (I think the hawk was also an osprey, just a different angle.)
All of the birds were sitting on light standards right above the freeway.
In retrospect I could have gotten my camera out and taken some pictures, but I was a good driver and kept my hands on the wheel.

Finally across the water, and after another 1/2 hour arrived at work.

Work was actually pretty interesting, as work day’s go.
Finally really digging into some databases. No real data work yet – just data cleanup.
(You know when <500 records to check is a victory, and <2000 seems reasonable, that your life is just too good.)
Finished a team review of the first draft of a major rewrite of our emergency plan (volume 1).
Was able to get a bit of work done for today action (which is good, since I am not there in person today).

And – it is time for me to get back to cleaning up databases.

Meet Peggy Sue

Peggy Sue

Then there are her friends the Witch, Marylin and Inga (a little hard to see but has two pigs and a pony tail).

Bleachero’s 2012 version (this support resulted in a single).

Three times they donned their wigs and raised their signs.
Two times Ichiro responded with a hit.

I tried for a better picture, but there was a redhead in the way. Didn’t she understand that this was a night for blonds?

But the Mariner’s lost – 3-1 – to the Rangers.

Sorry, not much to add today. Ready to go to bed.

Here is the Rhody from this AM.

Tuesday’s Rhody shot

If I went in chronological order, I would get to the bad last.
But I am generally a bad news first girl, so here it is.

Carl was playing baseball yesterday and did something to a tendon in his foot/ankle. We think it is the peronius brevis. Whatever it is called, this is the same tendon that popped before, and had him in a boot for a few months. Luckily, we still have a boot around, so he put it on. I am insisting he go see the doctor however, even if he thinks he knows what it is.

On the good news side, he was legging out a double (really nice hit, to hear it described), and it popped when he was rounding first. (He was safe. This is different from when he tore his Achilles tendon and was tagged out between first and second.)

Back to chronology. It has been since Friday morning that I posted.
Friday was busy with work and meetings. Not too much else to report, at least that I can recall.

I did spend the evening hauling boxes into the living room.
I figured the way to make sure I held a garage sale was to make it more difficult to not hold the garage sale.

In retrospect, it probably still would have been less work to just haul the stuff back downstairs,  but in the end I think it was worth it. I think I cleared a bit over $130, and there may be a bit more money flowing our direction from some neighbor sales, when they did not have any money.

After I put out a tarp with a sheet over most of it (to keep the dew off the offerings) and set up the folding metal table (which is determined that each time we put it up will be its last), Carl & I walked to the end of the block and the block beyond to put up our signs. Then it was time to put out the merchandise.

Carl helped haul out the boxes and boxes and boxes of garage sale fodder. Most of it was clothing. The result of our winter break sorting of clothes with kids. The good part about it being the kids’ clothes is that they are much more likely to be clothes that others would want. There was also some “junk” and a few gifts (of the toy variety) never opened, and the turtle footstool, and 6 pairs of skis, 4 pairs of ski-boots, and a handful of ski-poles, and the playpen that had not sold at numerous previous garage sales. [I don’t do numerous garage sales, but my neighbor has, and I would put it out over and over and over again.]

I have to admit, I did not take any pictures of the covered lawn. But two different groups of folks told me that I had a very nice layout. Easy to see things, and well presented. I guess I achieved feng-shui for garage sales.

Highlights of the garage sale:

• Sold said playpen.
• Sold two pairs of skis (really the only two worth buying)
• Sold one pair of ski-boots
• Sold the turtle footstool
• Met (re-met) a class-mate of Rey’s from 2nd grade forward. Alice Manos. She was there with her mother and grandmother, speaking Greek. I think it was Alice who said I looked familiar, and we figured it out from there.

I was surprised that t-shirts sold as well as non-t-shirt shirts. People were nice, and it was a relaxed day. I had put up a sign saying that they could pay whatever they wanted, and the funds were going to support the fight against breast cancer. More than one brought up the earlier Komen/Planned Parenthood debacle, but agreed that the direction had been corrected, and it really should not be a political subject.

And – since it was not exactly a hopping sales day, I was able to work most of the day. I set up the computer on the front porch, and actually completed (almost) a couple of small projects.

The take-down was more tiring than the set-up. Probably because Carl was at his baseball game.
I know I made progress because I had two empty boxes at the end.
The next, “We have a truck in your neighborhood,” call that we get – will get the remaining full boxes.

Flinging in bulk.

Since it is spring in Seattle, the flowers are blooming. I took pictures of a few specimens from the backyard.

Backyard bud

Backyard bloom

The calla lilies are actually volunteers.

Calla Lily

Backyard volunteers

I have decided to try to follow a rhododendron bloom that is directly outside of the front window. (Great plan, we will see how it all works out.)

Friday – front yard bud

Sunday – front yard budding

Now to begin Sunday. Newspaper or Street fair?

Wednesday evening when I arrived home Carl was out patrolling the fields of friends playing sports. Kids, parents, t-ball, soccer. So I set out on foot for his current destination, a parent playing soccer, approximately 1-1/2 mile from home. Not too far, but it was already 7 PM, and dinner was still waiting.

I took the under route to cross the freeway, and wound through the Greenlake neighborhood. The neighborhood is city-rectangular for a while, and then has a series of divergent and curving streets. These either parallel the lake/park in a fashion or angle down to the lake. It is not always easy to determine which direction you are really headed. As I crossed one street at a tee into a long block, a sign on a fence helpfully said, “Lake” with an arrow. I was actually not trying to just get to the lake, so I went the other direction.

Eventually I reached Green Lake Way near the golf course. This is a pitch-and-putt golf course, but that was the first sport I encountered in the next 1/4 mile. Golf, ultimate frisbee, jogging, running (yes, they are different), softball, skateboard park, bicycle-cross, and finally soccer. Carl was there watching his charge’s father charge around. I joined him, but soon we were kicking a ball around with a 5-year old. (That always seems to happen.)

As the second half of the soccer game started, we decided it was time to head home for dinner.

This morning (Friday) we took a morning walk. The easy 5-mile walk to, around and back from Green Lake. We did it with pretty good pace. Each mile was getting quicker. That is until we stopped at the Starbucks before completing the last mile. Just enough to slow us down a bit.

Many of the folks out have canine companions along for the walk. We decided that Corgis only have one leg section running from the hip to the foot. There is no room for a knee joint.

We were able to do this early walk because I am telecommuting today. So I had better get to it.

Oh – for the Marquis. It is bike to work week/month, and today is the DAY. We passed this set-up outside of Gregg’s Green Lake Cycle.

Bike To Work Day at Gregg’s Green Lake

Yesterday evening I had a meeting. My part went until about 8:15, and I was home by 9:00.

Tonight was a lot more exciting – we did not get home until after 9:30! (Such madness.)

We went out to the off-Broadway production of “Million Dollar Quartet.”
It was fabulous. We really enjoyed the show.
What we had not done a few years ago was to see the show when it was being developed by the Village Theatre in Issaquah. It got rave reviews there too, and then a Tony for a performer (from the Issaquah show translated to Broadway) later.

The story (true) in a nutshell, as presented in the program.

It was a jam session. And jam they did. The performers are all really playing and singing. There is a bass player and drummer providing accompaniment. They were really good, and played throughout the show.

The drummer in the real event was Fluke. He backed Johnny Cash throughout his career. Turns out the real Fluke was in the audience.

The most touching (for me) moment was at the end of the historical jam session – replayed, they posed for a picture. And then the real photograph appears, along with the real recording of the four singing one of the songs from the show, which was repeating what they had done, so …. Let’s just say it was touching.

And then they launched into several more songs. A fun, rocking night.

Sunday was a pretty mellow day.
Carl got the jump on me and spoke with his mother before I was even downstairs.
Called my Mom, and learned a few things that I did not know.
Bullfights and baseball games! Who knew?

Went out to breakfast. I like going out to breakfast. Good food and no dishes.

Then it was a chance to chat with my kids (separately).
Skyped with Rey. His life just sounds busy. The Smokies game was rained out that day, but not until game-time, so not quite a day off. (He wore his tarp clothes home, because one of his first duties in the morning would be to take the tarp back off the field.)
Chatted on the phone with Ashlan as she travelled home from the Mariner’s game – in New York City. We somehow got onto the subject of goals. She is so S.M.A.R.T.. That is she was telling me about SMART goals. Funny thing is I just learned about SMART goals in the past year. Maybe it is the new “in” thing, but they really do seem to work. (And I can remember the acronym – Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Realistic and Timely.) Ashlan’s goal work had to do with making sandwiches. Mine had to do with responding to emergencies.

Calling home on Mother’s day is a time-honored tradition. But perhaps it has lost some of its luster with cell phones in the mix. Not that talking with your mother can be overdone. However, I remember some Mother’s Days when getting an open line after several busy signals was a real accomplishment. 

And here is a mother to be that I ran into at work today.
She obliged me to take her picture.

This is a Mama to be. She did not move for the minute that I was trying to get a picture.

Since I spent a good bit of time this morning trying to catch up for the last week on the blog, I thought I would take care of today – today.

The weather was spectacular today. It was cool in the morning, but the sun never left the sky (until it set). The morning was spent doing house-centric chores.

A bit after noon we walked a few houses down for a 1st-grader’s birthday party. A bit of fun, a bit of food, and a bit of chatting with neighbors and other folks.

Finally it was time to leave for the soccer game. Given the weather, we decided to walk. Our total today was 8.25 miles.

Since we had gone over Capital Hill the last two times, we decided to head through Fremont, up and over Queen Anne hill, and down to the waterfront.

We have been on higher hills than Queen Anne, but none are steeper (at least by the route that we took). We stopped at a greek restaurant on lower Queen Anne. This was after the first 5 miles. Good food. Enough to power us through the next 3.25 miles.

The game was rough, and in the end Real Salt Lake prevailed (1-0).
Off to the bus, for a crowded ride home.

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Tomorrow is supposed to be nicer than today.
The bluest skies you ever see are in Seattle

Happy Mother’s Day to Gene and Doris (and to all of you other mothers as well).